The need for improved nutritious food supplements is greatly increasing as the public becomes more health and weight conscious. There are a variety of products on the market, including beverages, and mixes for making beverages, which are relatively low in calories and high in fiber and nutrients. While such products have met with various degrees of commercial success, they never-the-less contain a substantial amount of additives such as emulsifiers, stabilizers, preservatives, and the like, which would be desirable, from a nutrition point of view, to eliminate. Further, the important role that fiber plays in the diet has become increasingly recognized in recent years. The food supplement products presently on the market either do not contain enough fiber or they do not have the correct balance of soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber. For example, most of the food supplement products contain a fiber source which is relatively low in soluble dietary fiber content. Such fiber sources are typically soy flour, oat bran, wheat flour, corn bran and cellulose, etc. These also are at a disadvantage in that only a relatively small amount can be used because higher amounts would settle out of the beverage and be undesirable to the consumer because of taste, appearance and consistency.
One source of fiber which has the proper balance of soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber, as well as being high in vitamin and mineral content, is rice bran. Rice bran is generally not used in such food supplement products, primarily because it usually contains relatively high levels of fatty acids, phenols, and tanins, as well as other components which leave the bran with an undesirable taste. Thus, it is desirable to use rice bran which has been stabilized against the formation of fatty acids and which does not contain the other objectionable components. While stabilized rice bran is used in some commercial products, it is usually used in relatively low concentrations to avoid the undesirable effects of the components which contribute to undesirable taste. Thus, its potential for use in food products is not being met.
Further, honey, which as long been known as an excellent source of nutrients, is typically not used in beverages. This is because it has a tendency to spoil too quickly. This is due to the presence of microorganisms, such as coliform bacteria, which originate in the intestinal tract of the honey bee.
Therefore, there exist a need in the art for improved food products which can utilize the true potential of rice bran and honey. Of particular need, are those food products which are formulated to be relatively low in calories, high in fiber, and high in protein, while having substantially reduced amounts of additives, and still be palatable to the consumer.